Steve Ensminger, a starting quarterback for LSU under legendary coach Charles McClendon, in the late 1970s, was elevated to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during the offseason. It's Ensminger's second turn as offensive coordinator for the Tigers as he served in that capacity for the final eight games of the 2016 season.

Now in his eighth year with the Tigers, Ensminger has spent the majority of his career on the LSU staff as the tight ends coach as well as being a key part of the Tiger recruiting efforts. A brilliant play-caller who has learned from some of the best offensive minds in the game, Ensminger's impact during his first stint as offensive coordinator in 2016 when he was elevated to the position just four games into the season was nothing short of remarkable.

Prior to Ensminger taking over play-calling duties in 2016, LSU's offense had scored only nine touchdowns and was averaging 18 points and 339.5 total yards per game. In eight games under Ensminger that year, LSU improved drastically in every offensive category as the Tigers averaged 32 points and 464.9 total yards per contest during that span. LSU scored 38 or more points five times under Ensminger, including 54 in a win over Texas A&M and 38 against both Arkansas and Ole Miss. The Tigers averaged 7.1 yards per play and converted 46-of-102 third-down opportunities during that eight-game stretch.

Also under Ensminger, LSU's offense set school records for yards in a SEC game (634 vs. Missouri), single-game rushing yards by an individual (284 by Leonard Fournette vs. Ole Miss, 285 by Derrius Guice vs. Texas A&M), longest run from scrimmage (96 yards by Derrius Guice vs. Arkansas) and time of possession (42:33 vs. Missouri).

Individually, Ensminger's offense produced a pair of All-America selections in center Ethan Pocic and Guice at running back. Pocic was a finalist for the Remington Award as the nation's top center, while Guice rushed for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns and eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark twice.

As LSU's tight ends coach, Ensminger has groomed some of the best to play the position for the Tigers. In 2017, Foster Morea ranked second on the team in receptions with 24 and accounted for 278 yards and three TDs. Senior JD Moore developed under Ensminger from a walk-on to a first team Academic All-American and is now in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. Foster goes into his final year at LSU with 30 receptions for 357 yards and four TDs and is on pace to enter the school's all-time Top 10 in each of those categories for a tight end.

Ensminger had previously served as tight ends coach for the Tigers from 2010 until his promotion to offensive coordinator following the Auburn game in week 4 of the 2016 season. Ensminger had previous offensive coordinator duties McNeese State, Louisiana Tech, Texas A&M, and Clemson.

A 1982 graduate of LSU, Ensminger played quarterback for the Tigers under head coach Charlie McClendon from 1976-79. Ensminger played in three bowl games (Sun, Liberty, Tangerine) at LSU and has followed that by coaching in 16 bowl games as an assistant at the collegiate level.

In 2015, Colin Jeter led all LSU tight ends with 12 catches for 132 yards and a TD, followed by DeSean Smith with four catches for 82 yards. As a unit, LSU tight ends accounted for 18 catches for 223 yards and a touchdown.

In 2014, LSU tight ends combined for 12 catches, including the game-winning TD against Ole Miss, while also playing a prominent role in the Tigers averaging 225 rushing yards a game.

LSUs group of 2013 tight ends played a key role in a Tiger offense that set a school-record with 37 rushing touchdowns. LSU averaged 453.3 total yards per game, which included 202.3 yards on the ground. In the passing game, LSU tight ends combined for 12 receptions for 211 yards with first-time starter Dillon Gordon leading the way with six catches for 88 yards.

Ensminger's tight ends combined for 16 catches for 182 yards in 2012 in the passing game and they helped pave the way for a 173.7 yards per game rushing attack as the Tigers went 10-3 and finished the year ranked No. 12 in the nation.

In 2011, LSU tight ends combined for 28 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns. Deangelo Peterson led all tight ends with 18 catches for 179 yards and a score as the Tigers posted a 13-0 regular season record, claimed the SEC title and reached the BCS National Championship game that year.

In 2010, Ensminger coached a versatile group of tight ends who combined for 24 catches for 301 yard with Peterson leading the way with 16 receptions for 198 yards despite missing three games with an injury. Ensminger joined the LSU staff after serving as an assistant coach at Auburn from 2003-08. Ensminger spent the 2009 season as the passing game coordinator at Smiths Station High School in Auburn, Ala.

During his six seasons at Auburn, Ensminger coached the quarterbacks one year (2003), followed by five years as the tight ends coach from 2004-08. As the quarterback coach at Auburn, Ensminger helped develop Jason Campbell, who went on to become an NFL first round draft pick. While at Auburn, the Tigers led the SEC in scoring offense in both 2004 (32.1) and 2005 (32.2), and they were first in the league in total offense in 2005 (409.8).

Ensminger has also had major college coaching stops at Georgia (1991-93), Texas A&M (1994-96) and Clemson (1997-98). At Georgia, he served as the quarterbacks coach as well as the passing game coordinator. In 1992, Georgia posted a 10-2 overall record and led the SEC in both scoring (32.0) and total offense (450.4).

Ensminger followed that with a three-year run at Texas A&M where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Aggies. The Aggies were 25-9-1 during Ensminger's three years in College Station, which included a 10-0-1 mark in 1994 and a 9-3 record in 1995.

After Texas A&M, Ensminger coached for two seasons at Clemson, holding the title of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Ensminger returned to Louisiana in 2000, serving as head coach and athletic director at Central High School for nearly three years before taking the wide receivers job at West Monroe High School for the 2002 season.

After a brief career in the NFL and CFL, Ensminger got his start in coaching in 1982 at Nicholls State as the receivers coach. After two years at Nicholls State, he moved to McNeese State as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1984-86 followed by three years from 1988-90 at Louisiana Tech in the same capacity.

As a player at LSU, Ensminger threw for 2,770 yards and 16 touchdowns during his career with the Tigers. He was named Freshman All-SEC in 1976. Ensminger finished his career with the Tigers with an 11-6 mark as a starting quarterback, which included a 7-4 record in 1977.

Ensminger, a native of Baton Rouge, is married to the former Amy Gonzales and the couple has three children – Krystalin, Brittany Rose and Steven – and two grandchildren.